Professional Boundaries

by Jennifer Peel

At thirty two, Kelli Bryant is ready to take on the world, and Chandler Media, as the new Marketing Director, but her plans are derailed when her promotion is given to none other than Ian Greyson, Kelli’s old college flame, her one true love and the one man she hoped to never see again.

Between Kelli’s determination to remain on top and Ian’s strict new office policies, there’s no shortage of fireworks in the office. Their explosive relationship spills over into their personal lives as Kelli tries to keep Ian at arm’s length and Ian desperately tries to win her back (during off hours only, of course).

Professional Boundaries is a clean romance filled with fun and humor. It is a story of two professionals who just can't keep it professional.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Contemporary Romance, Second Chance, Chick Lit, Fiction

226 pages, ebook

First published December 25, 2014

About the author

Jennifer Peel is the mother of three amazing kiddos. Wife to her one and only for the past twenty-two years. Lover of late night talks, beach vacations, the mountains, pink bubble gum ice cream, tours of model homes, and southern living. She can frequently be found with her laptop on, fingers typing away, indulging in chocolate milk, and writing out the stories that are constantly swirling through her head.

Reviews

[Tadiana ✩Night Owl☽ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kindle freebie romance, Sept. 13, 2019. Not my favorite Jennifer Peel contemporary romance, but it's not bad if you like squeaky-clean romances ... and are okay with guys who've been major idiots in the past but want a second chance. :)

In this corner we have Kelli, valued employee of Chandler Marketing ... but not quite valued enough to get the job of marketing director, which goes to the man in the opposite corner, Ian, who cruelly dumped Kelli when they were dating in college 13 years ago and disappeared from her life without ever speaking to her again, but now has suddenly reappeared in her life and seems to want to give it another try. Kelli's still carrying a grudge, and is also furious that Ian took the coveted job of marketing director away from her, so she does her best to push Ian far away.

It's a pretty good battle of the sexes. Ian's now Kelli's boss, but she does a good job of getting a few good uppercuts in. But who will land the knockout blow?

*abandons the boxing analogy* Jennifer Peel tells a pretty good tale. Her writing style is decent, if a little pedestrian. Ian and Kelli spend way too much time "smirking" at each other (I checked: that word was used twenty times). There are a few spelling glitches; my favorite was "undo backlash." I also had beefs with some of the plot elements: Ian's basic reason for breaking up with Kelli when she was 18 and he was 25 made some sense, but the way he handled it (with no explanation other than that "she ruined things" by telling him she loved him, and then refusing to communicate with her ever again) was unrealistically dramatic and just didn't ring true to me. If he truly loved her, even if he wasn't ready to get married, there was no reason to handle it as cruelly as he did. I don't buy into the "I did it for your own good" rationale, especially when someone makes a unilateral decision without even discussing it with the other person. The 13 year gap between the time they parted and when he suddenly shows up again in her life, hoping to pick things up again, seemed excessive, though Ian's marriage during the interim helped to explain that. But if he loved Kelli so much, why didn't he go try to find her again when he decided he was ready to settle down? Yes, his ex-wife was the daughter of an important investor, but still. Ian's formality at the office (he wants her to call him Mr. Greyson and he calls her Ms. Bryant) was an eye-roller.

Finally, Kelli's reasons for remaining abstinent (she's a 32 year old virgin) are never really delved into, which seems awkward in a contemporary romance. Not that I'm complaining; I just think that in current-day romances, fair or not, abstinence in older characters requires some additional explanation. I think Peel was dancing around the fact that for Kelli it was religion, but it was hard to tell.

On the other hand, I'm always a sucker for lost love regained stories, and also stories where the guy is doing his best to win the girl back but she (for valid reasons) is resistant to the idea, and he has to do some serious chasing to try to break down her resistance, including lots of flattering attention and kisses. And also strong arms enfolding her. And kisses.

3.5 stars.

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 ⭐- Ugh! Didn't like it or triggers or pet peeve!
===========================================
Our Zero kicks Zeroine to the curb, 13 years apart and he comes back. In the meantime he builds a fortune and marries another woman, after separation he has other women and so on.
Our Zeroine is frozen in time, virgin and only dedicated to work.
He is a motherf@$*ing pig and she a complete doormat that doesn't move on.
I was annoyed with everything.

I sighed. “Ian, you’re my boss and I’ve spent thirteen years wondering why you left me.”

I tapped my finger against my mouth. “Hmm. Dating my divorced boss who broke my heart when he left me? It sounds so tempting.”

[Kathy * Bookworm Nation · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m a sucker for lost-love stories; it’s always fun to watch a couple get a second chance at love. Kellie and Ian dated in college, but things ended badly when Ian up and dumps her unexpectedly and disappears from her life. Thirteen years have passed and Kellie is up for a big promotion at work when Ian shows up out of nowhere and ends up with the promotion that she had been working for. I liked that they had the unresolved break-up to deal with as well as him stealing her job. Lots of fun tension to work through.

I liked Kellie; she has worked hard and is successful at what she does. I could relate to her in wanting to experience married life and have a family of her own. I truly enjoyed my time working, but also always wanted to be a homemaker. And honestly, it’s the best job in the world. It’s harder and more rewarding than anything I have ever done. Kellie is an upbeat person, knows how to read people and has a touch of sass.

To be honest, I had mixed feelings about Ian. I could never quite figure out his character, he was one way at work and another in “off hours”, his logic didn’t make sense to me. I guess I liked the idea of him more than the actual character. I did think they had some fun interactions though and good chemistry.

Overall, this was a fun read. I loved that it was lighthearted and clean. I’ll be looking for more from Ms. Peel.

Content
Romance: Squeaky clean, mild kissing

Source: Received complimentary copy from author for honest review.

This has been nominated for a 2015 Swoony Award, you can vote for it here.

[Talltree]

H dumps h when she says "ILU" and never speaks to her again bcos she "ruined things" and he's not ready to settle down. Later when he is ready, even though he supposedly loved the h, he marries OW. 13 yrs later he goes after h and after all this time h is a 32 year old virgin?! You've gotta be kidding me!!

Heights of ridiculousness - plus lame double standards. I would never respect any h who would even consider giving this guy the time of the day...just not for me.

[Kathy Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelli had her heart broken 13 years ago by Ian. He was her first love and one day just walked out of her life... never to be heard from again. She thought that she was completely over him until one day he shows up back in her life... and takes her dream position at Chandler Media.

Emotions are crazy and Kelli does everything she can to guard her heart. She refuses to let Ian back in. Little does she know, she never stood a chance. And everyone knew that except Kelli herself. She was constantly telling everyone nothing was ever going to happen between them again... that he never loved her and he never will. *sigh* Stubborn, blind woman! Lol.

While other reviews I've read bash Ian and say how much they did not like him... I have to say I am the minority. I LOVED him! He just cracked me up! Oh my heck! The man definitely has a sense of humor. ;) And I have to say, I could understand why he did what he did. He wanted her to experience life. He didn't want her to have any regrets. He loved her enough to let her go.

Kelli on the other hand... *shaking my head* There were times I really wanted to shake her and say wake up! I understand that she was hurt and her heart was broken, I really do. But she took things a little too far at times. I was so glad when she finally started accepting that her feelings were just as strong as ever and they she had a 2nd chance with the one and only love of her life.

Now let's talk about that epilogue. *dreamy sigh* I absolutely LOVED it! It was the perfect ending to an amazing book! If you've already read this book, read it again! You'll love it even more... I promise! If you haven't read it yet, read it now! You can thank me later!

Y'all Ms. Peel has done it again! She's amazing and knows how to grab you and suck you in! Gotta love when an author can do that! I can't wait to read her next book baby!

And of course no review of mine would be complete without a casting. These two are absolutely perfect in my opinion. What do you think?

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I get a lot of review requests. Usually several new ones everyday. There are so many great books I want to read but since it is just me reading I can only get to a limited number of them and there is no real rhyme or reason to what I choose to read. Professional Boundaries happened to be on the top of my Kindle when I finished a book so I opened it and thought I would give it a try.

It totally sucked me in and I ended up reading the entire thing. It was cute. It was clean. It was funny. Right up my alley. Fun characters, a great story-line and an entertaining writing style made this a book I thoroughly enjoyed.


Rating: 5 Stars - I Loved It.

Content: Clean

Source: Review Copy

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can tell that I jumped into a new genre with this book, and one I'm completely unfamiliar with. It's still romance, but the focus is slightly shifted with a change in audience expectation. Which makes this a tricky review to write. I'm not sure how much I may be reacting to core genre expectations and how much of it is individual with this author.

I'll start with what is different from most romance expectations. The most obvious is the lack of any kind of sex. More, the heroine is fully and explicitly abstinent. She doesn't hold the hero's experience against him, though it's clear he doesn't sleep around (he has an ex-wife, so you know he's not a virgin, but they never discuss more than that). It was important to Kelli (the MC) that he accepted her abstinence stance and even supported it.

Strangely, to me, it's clear that Kelli is a believing church-goer and that her belief stands behind her abstinence and yet they never discuss religion and/or Ian's potential church-going in future. This strikes me as odd because that level of conviction typically has a great deal of meaning to a person and that meaning penetrates pretty deeply into life expectations. I can see how getting specific has complications (not least having to define what brand of Christianity Kelli favors and thus potentially putting off some of the audience if they have brand preferences). Still, I'd expect some kind of discussion there, even if Peel elides over details. Not discussing compatible beliefs seems like a huge hole in the story. Particularly when coupled with the next bit.

The next biggest contrast is how much parenthood plays a part in the potential mate expectations. Kelli expects to be a mother. Many of the women in her circle of friends (and there are some great female friendships in the book) are mothers and receive respect (from Kelli, but also from others) for their role as such. Indeed, motherhood is treated as a worthy life-goal all on its own and without expectations of it being coupled with an income-generating sub-emphasis. This was strange, but mostly because of what it reveals about my expectations from romance as a genre. On reflection, it's odd how universally romance heroines aren't interested in motherhood except in conjunction with other pursuits. i.e. motherhood as a break from something else, or while doing something else at least part-time.

This has an effect on the male side of parenthood, as well. Potential fatherhood and opinions about children play a role in the evaluation of male potential and explicitly and unapologetically so. And not in the "isn't it cute he doesn't scream and run away from small, importunate humans" kind of way, either.

For the record, I rather enjoyed both aspects of the parenthood expectations in this sub-genre (though again, I'm not sure it's an actual sub-genre manifestation or if it's singular with this author). As one having mostly main-stream Christian beliefs, I found it oddly comforting to have them expressed as an integral part of the romantic experience.

Okay, that's the odd genre-y bits. If you can't stand those things as aspects of your romance, then this really isn't for you. The rest of the genre expectations were present, though, and I liked how it ran. Kelli was a lot of fun to spend time with. She's strong and determined and willing to meet people halfway. I liked how open she was with the people around her and how she was able to maintain her convictions without even a hint of judgmentalism or holier-than-thou. She doesn't expect others to live to her standards and that's abundantly and lovingly clear, even as she holds herself to them. This may be Peel's great strength as an author.

I was less happy with Ian. Leaving Kelli in the beginning was an example of the greatest of my pet peeves the whole "doing it for your own good but without actually talking to you about it". He is both arrogant and hurtful and it's clear that he holds to that decision for most of the book. I kept waiting for Kelli to push the point that he continually undervalues her. She demonstrates it in rather forceful ways, but never follows-up with telling him "stop doing this, you moron." He gets the point in the end, probably, but she could still have stood to give him a bit of a drubbing over it. And yes, I meant to imply that I'm not entirely convinced that he's learned that lesson in an enduring way.

The plot worked well and the pacing was good. Less good was the editing. It's a Kindle Unlimited release and thus probably self-published. Peel does a decent job with the fundamentals, but she flubs some word meanings ("in a matter of speaking", for example) and could have used a good copy editor. I could always tell what she meant but it was frequent enough that it comes across as unprofessional. Which is a shame because this is otherwise good work.

In the end, it's a solid three and a half stars on a strict romance basis. The editing and the cross-genre expectation-jumping is enough to keep me from rounding up, but I may reverse that if I get more experience with others in the genre and re-evaluate.

A note about Steamy: I'm not sure, yet, how I'm going to designate these if I read further in this genre. I kind of hate the designation "clean" because I don't consider sex dirty. Plus "clean" implies other aspects such as swears and violence. The same problem exists with "sweet" (what, sex is sour?). At the same time, this is, I believe, a separate genre (or at least sub-genre) and one I'm interested in exploring so it'd be nice to have a designation for it.

[Heidi Robbins (Heidi Reads...) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun story of second-chance love! Kelli sure gave Ian a run for his money, not believing that he wanted her back, but after realizing that he really was chasing her, she had a decision to make- hold onto her anger and grudge, or forgive and embrace a new start. The dynamics of their personal relationship are further complicated by their professional working relationship. Very entertaining and great romance!

[Katie (hiding in the pages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelli and Ian have a history together--they dated in college and things didn't end well. Nope, not at all. When Ian is given her promotion and becomes her boss, Kelli becomes more determined than ever to stay away and to protect her heart at all costs.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for Kelli. Her heart was shattered and then here comes the guy with the hammer, when she least expected it. It's sad, but true--I could understand where she was coming from. Kelli overreacted quite often when it came to Ian and I am guilty of overreaction, too. She knows he's a pretty uptight guy, who really loves rules and propriety, so when he asks her to call him "Mr. Greyson" at the office, she refuses to call him anything else. She just won't separate business and pleasure. She sometimes came off as being too mean, but she had very good reason for doing so. I wish she could have let go of the past a little easier, but when a heart it invested, that's not an easy task.

Ian was stiff and proper, almost to the point of being cold at times, yet he, too, has his reasons. I wish he would've handled things better in the past, but who doesn't make a few mistakes along the way? He made some assumptions that cost him dearly, but now he's back and trying to win Kelli over again. This task proves to be more difficult than driving a car without a steering wheel. He was very sweet, good looking, patient, and persistent.

This story had all of the elements that I love best in a romance--it was fun with great characters, clean with sparks, drew me right in, had misunderstandings with humor and emotion, and a second chance at love. I'm definitely reading more by this author--I've found a new favorite!

Content: Clean romance (kissing); mild language (two mild words); no violence or religious elements.

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded to 2. I won't bore you with my review. A quick list of likes and dislikes will suffice.

What I liked:
1) How clean this book was. There is no sex and the language is very mild.
2) The h sticks to her beliefs. I admire that about her.
3) The H isn't a manwhore.

What I didn't like:
1) The H. He's an idiot, an overplanning, bad at communicating and then expecting people to read between his lines, idiot. What he did to the h all those years ago was dumb. His explanation was lame.
2) The h. She is so whiny. I found her narrative to be very honest, but it was repetitive and so annoying. I know she wants to find someone with whom she has a deep connection, get married, and have babies. Stop telling me over and over again already!
3) We only get the h's pov. Hearing from the H might have been nice. Then again, it might have made me dislike him even more. The jury's still out on that one.
4) The first person pov. There was a lot of telling, not a lot of showing.
5) The story was just so boring. Not a lot happened, just a lot of emotional upheaval on the part of the h. Some misunderstandings, an annoying supposed love interest, and a lot of drawn out angst.
I wanted to like this book so much more, but I just didn't.

[Julie Carpenter · Rating 5 out of 5]

*FULL REVIEW*

I loved this cute, second chance, contemporary romance. Definitely lots of heartache and healing throughout but I loved the characters, the plot was fun and witty. I've found a new author that I am excited to read more of her books.

Hopefully I'll get a full review up soon.
------------------------------------

Kelli loves Ian! <3 They met at college and she knows what she wants and she isn't afraid to go for it. After finally wearing Ian down, they start dating. Life is great and wonderful until...Kelli says the three little words. I LOVE YOU!!! Ian takes off and Kelli is heartbroken.

Flash forward 13 or so years later and Kelli is a very smart, beautiful and successful Marketing manager and very hopeful that she will soon be getting promoted as Marketing Director of the company she works for. Everything is beautiful and wonderful and going as planned until...she walks in to work early and Ian is there. ?????? Why is he there and how should she react? Life goes spiraling out of control and all the emotions she thought she'd tucked away or worked through come pouring back into her heart and mind. How is she going to ever survive her life now that everything is topsy turvy with Ian around? Not only that but her Boss and longtime family friend is retiring and turning the company over to Ian as Marketing Director. Not only did she not get the promotion, but Kelli will be forced to work under the man she loved with all her soul and the same man who disappeared without a trace when she declared her love.

This was such a fun story. I loved the back and forth between Kelli and Ian. There were times that Ian drove me crazy with his reasons/excuses but overall I totally understood why he insisted upon them. It gave a good amount of angst and turmoil throughout the book and definitely made it sweeter when the big reveal/resolve came at the end of the story.

The writing was wonderful. I was drawn right into the story and felt as if I was completely immersed in every aspect of the plot and characters lives. Jennifer Peel has become a favorite author in just the first time reading of one of her books. I was so amazed at how much I enjoyed every aspect of the book. I finished it and wanted to open it up right away again and read and read and read, as well as grab her other books and do the same thing.

If you were like me and have never read a Jennifer Peel book, don't wait any longer, grab one, grab this one, and let yourself be immersed in the fun and witty characters, the sweet and swoony romance and the overall enjoyment of reading one of her novels.

Content wise it was clean. Some sweet kisses and some memories of lots of kisses. A character says boobs a few times throughout when talking about a couple different characters but was not gross or lewd in any way. No swearing that I remember and nothing past the kisses.

I downloaded my copy from Amazon (it was free not too long ago but can't say for sure now).

Happy Reading!!!

[Aimee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ooh, this book was so much fun. It had so many of the things I love when reading a clean romance book. There was humor, misunderstanding and fireworks. Boy, were there fireworks!

Kelli has her promotion locked up tight. At least she thought she did until her old flame, Ian steals it from her. Kelli is one very unhappy camper. Not only did Ian burn her way back in college, he has burned her again by stealing her promotion. Kelli is such a fun character. She is witty and sassy at all the right times.

Ian, I will admit, drove even me a little crazy with his hot/cold, not at work/work personalities. It was a bit maddening. But there is lots of chemistry between Kelli and Ian and it's sure fun when the sparks fly!

This is my kind of book. I really love a good, clean romance that makes me smile. This was the first book I've read by Jennifer Peel and I will definitely be reading more! In fact, I have her latest book coming up for review March 2nd. (I've actually read it, and I loved it too! Tune in for my full review on that one.) I love adding new authors to my favorite list!

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love it when I get into a "book mode." It happens so rarely for me these days because I am not a casual reader. If I start a book it becomes all consuming and I don't have the luxury of all consuming these days. Well. I had the rare occasion these past 24 hours of having some flexibility (no deets necessary). So I took a chance and started to read. I was not disappointed in this book. It was so enjoyable to read and I liked the tension.

My only real complaint with this book was that we are suppose to believe the Ian left her because he loved her? I just never quite bought that. Which took the fifth star away for me. It just didn't make sense that you would love someone and so cruelly walk out on them like that. I guess I just wanted him held more accountable for that. He got off to easy IMO.

I could keep venting about a few other things that were a little off. But over all it made me smile, I even laughed and of course sighed. :). That's a good sign of a good book.

[Heidi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this Contemporary Clean Romance

First of all, I am so impressed with this author. I've thoroughly enjoyed everything of hers I have read so far. I love that her main characters come so alive and make you wish they were your friends. :)
Professional Boundaries was a sweet contemporary romance full of humor and fun banter between the two main characters. The storyline didn't necessarily have a ton of depth but I found myself glued to the pages and falling head over heels for Ian and Kelli. I love long lost love stories and this is one of the cutest contemporary ones I have read. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about their past and experiencing with them their present and future. It made me wish there would have been a book about their first courtship.... I honestly loved it. Such a fun read.

[Alisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kelli Bryant once told a boy she loved him... because she really did. She was a freshman in college; he had just finished grad school and was her calculus tutor. Once she told him she loved him he walked away and never looked back. And broke her heart.

Now it's 13 years later and she is a confident businesswoman who is excited for her upcoming promotion. Until she finds out she's not being promoted. Instead the boss has hired Ian Greyson... the man who broke her heart all those years ago. It's obvious to everyone except Kelli that Ian has a hidden agenda for taking this job... and that's to be close to her. His professional boundaries cracked me up... He wanted her to call him "Ian" outside of work and "Mr. Greyson" at work to keep it professional. She didn't want to see him outside of work -- or at work either!

If you are looking for a great book with a snarky heroine, this would be a great book to read! Ian has to work hard to right all the wrongs from the past - plus all the wrongs he's adding to the ledger in the present!

This is a book I will definitely re-read in the future!

Content: Clean, very mild swearing ("H" word only)
Source: Kindle Unlimited

[Tara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this one!! Funny, witty, tension-filled and lost-love. The makings of a great romantic comedy. I just wish the thirteen year gap could have been shorter. How sad to have lost out on that much time together.

One "beef" I had with the book was the way Ian initially went about with their breakup. Not necessarily his reasons for it, because her being so young was a legitimate reason for him not being ready. BUT, to just walk away without any explanation?? No. I think it would have been better (and still could have had the same breakup/reuniting storyline) if he had simply given her his reason and then broken up with her. Would have still broken her heart but at least he wouldn't have looked so unfeeling. I had a hard time with his explanation for just leaving her.

But aside from that, I really loved this book. The first book I've read from Ms. Peel, but am definitely going to read her others!

[Lisa (Bookworm Lisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kelly and Ian, separated years ago by pride, misunderstanding, and unfulfilled expectations.

Thirteen years is a long time to go without seeing the man that you loved in college. It's a long time to let go of bitterness and hurt feelings. All of the old emotions crash down around Kelly when he unexpectedly shows up in her workplace, taking the promotion that she was trying to get.

The fine line that the two of them walk is comical. You can tell right from the start that there are many unresolved issues that need to be worked through to make it a tolerable environment for both of them. There were many moments that had me giggling and grateful that I wasn't in that situation!

This is a cute and clean read for lovers of contemporary romance. There is kissing, but that's where it ends.

[Valerie Waters · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm on a roll for good books. And I LOVE it!!! This was so good. I hated Ian! I was convinced I would never forgive him. This author did a really good job with helping us know exactly what Kelli was thinking and feeling. Awww such a good book.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this cute second chance romance. Stayed up way too late reading, but it was worth it!

[KatieV · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars. Kind of cute if highly unlikely.

Their sparring was fun and it was amusing how the H constantly inadvertently dug himself a deeper hole.

He realizes after 13 years that he wants his old college gf back,who he'd cut off after she confessed her love. His plan involved getting a job he didn't need at the company she worked in just to woo her back. Unknowingly, the job he gets was one she expected to get. So, obviously, not a great entrance for him.

This is a clean romance, no sex at all. That's fine w me as long as the story keeps me interested. Personally I prefer some sex, but get bored when it gets repetitive. 1-2 scenes are all I need. Anyway, not relevant, just MHO.

The fact that this very attractive career woman kept her virginity until 32 was highly unlikely. Apparently no one else interested her in all those years. Also the way the H just left and his reasons were a bit flimsy. But it is fantasy and no one expects romance to be realistic. YMMV.

It is a light, quick read that fills that secret yearning many of us have about the one who got away. Who doesn't want the person who rejected them to come back with an elaborate plan to get them back? Even if we don't want them back its great for the ego.

I do think the Mr. Grayson thing was a wink and nod to 50 shades. Although this guy was no Dom. He was just very serious, kinda rigid, and a perfectionist. Personally not sure I wouldn't have to strangle him.

[Jessie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories about second chances. Kellie and Ian dated in college for about a year, when Kelly told Ian she loved him, he pretty much ran off and didn't speak to her again. Now ten years later, Kellie goes into work expecting to get a big promotion, and meets her new boss, Ian, instead.

I have never experienced a break-up as totally unresolved as Kellie and Ian's, but it still felt easy to relate to Kellie and her need to understand what had happened. I'm glad that she got the chance to do so. I also loved that she did not just fall into Ian's arms. He might have relocated to find her, but she wasn't going to enter a relationship that he wasn't fully committed to this time. I loved their exchanges at work. The title Professional Boundaries comes from the way he tries to be professional at work, but win her over during off-hours. I loved watching Kellie give him a hard time about calling her Miss Bryant. I could see where Ian was coming from, but it still made me laugh.

Overall, Professional Boundaries was a cute workplace romance. I loved watching the characters grow, and how the romance developed gradually.

Content: clean

[Jill Stewart · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really hate storylines where the man gets to have sex but the woman stays pure and true. Had I known this was one of those, I would have skipped it.

They meet when she is 18 and he is 25. They date for 6 months. They break up for 13 years, during which he marries but she remains a virgin. He comes back into her life to win her over.

He screws her over professionally. She takes accepts it because she loves the company's owner like a father. (Clearly he doesn't feel that way about her. He lets her think shes getting promited, meanwhile he negotiated with the MC behind her back. Oh, he he had an NDA,so it's ok.) A job will never love you back. She is clearly taken advantage of in the office and workforce.

In the end, they still love each other and never stopped! Because she hasn't changed in 13 years! 🤦🏼‍♀️ And she's happy and her former boss knew what was better for her and screwed her over.

This book made be angry and not in a good thought provoking way.

[Melinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the hero was a jerk. I didn't buy his explanation that he had always loved the heroine. If he really loved her why did it take him 13 years to look her up again and why did he marry the blond Betty Boop. I don't like this character's definition of love. I also didn't like everyone thinking he was Mr. Wonderful. The "friend" that he brought in to the story without advanced warning made no sense either. The hero really came across as an intelligent idiot. I would have respected the heroine if she had found someone worthy to love instead of pining after this jerk.

[Englishrose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a super cute read and very enjoyable. The interplay between Kelli and Ian is marvelous and so realistic. Though it dragged slightly at times, I loved the twists and turns that brought them together realistically. Their romance was toe curling and oh so sweet. It was a lovely plot and a great idea behind their story. Definitely one to keep you up reading, or warm on a cold winter night.

www.cleanromancereviews.com

[April · Rating 4 out of 5]

Professional Boundaries is a fun, cute, and entertaining, clean read romance! I zipped through this one in one evening, even staying up a little late to do so! Which is a feat for a woman towards the end of her third trimester of pregnancy, with 2 young kids that keep her going all day!

[Annette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was cute. I enjoyed the conflict and the inherent tension it brought. The guy came off as a bit of an idiot sometimes, though, and I would have liked a few more romantic moments throughout. It was a sweet, fun read.

Content: Clean

[Austin Ryan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Even though, protagonist Kelli Bryant spends an inordinate amount of time being naive about Ian Greyson's ulterior motives, she was smart, funny and snarky in every other way. I identified very much with her, and Ian also came alive on the page. This book made me laugh, and smile, and ponder; I will definitely read it again!

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was awesome! I love the way the author brings the swoon in this contemporary romance. The chemistry is popping off the pages. I've reread it multiple times and I think it's still my favorite of all of Jennifer Peel's books. I highly recommend it!
Clean romance with great kissing and characters.

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was shocked by how much I disliked this book. The girl is childish, and the man is controlling and a borderline stalker. This is neither romantic nor entertaining. Bummer, because I usually enjoy this author's books.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book! 4.5 stars.
- I agreed with everything the heroine, Kelli, thought and said. It is SO refreshing to read a book where you are 100% on the same page as the main character! She had the same misgivings I would have had, gave the same reactions I would have given, had the same aspirations I have, and even felt the same way I did about where her highest sense of fulfillment would come. She valued the institution of marriage, being a stay-at-home mom, chastity before marriage, and being a parent. She was a professional because she was single, but she wanted domestic fulfillment more (being a wife, homemaker, and mother, etc). That was so awesome! Seriously awesome!
- The beginning of the book made me FEEL! I felt hurt and betrayed by Ian, just like Kelli did. I didn't think I could ever forgive him, just like she felt.
- I laughed out loud at some of the dialogue. Like, let's see... there was a part when her sister and brother in law said, "Don't do anything we wouldn't do!" on the phone to her and then laughed together - that was funny and so real-life cute, it made me laugh too. And there were a few other parts that made me laugh.
- I was sold on how Ian was super attractive and how she was beautiful. The descriptions weren't in your face, but they were well placed and well worded. Also, even though I usually find anal people very unattractive and very annoying, I actually liked his character and found his up-tight-ness to be kind of endearing. That's a major shocker, so kudos to Jennifer Peel for pulling that off. Really.
- I liked the tension they had and the way their romance developed. The accident was brilliant because it fast-forwarded the development. Without a "kick in the pants" like that to remind them that their chance was now, and that pride was a waste of time, I'm not sure how long it would have taken her to forgive him. It certainly would have taken me a long time to swallow my pride and forgive him.
- I liked how he chased after her and didn't quit when she didn't cooperate.
- I liked how it was a clean romance. It was enjoyable. There was no earth-shattering, I-have-to-read-that-again-and-again scene, (yes, clean books can totally have those!) but it was still romantic.

I think my only misgiving was that his reasoning for hurting her so badly (and in the way he did! how could he walk away like that without another word, without an explanation?! It makes me mad just thinking of it!) - Anyway, like I was saying, I think his reasoning was rather weak. I have to be honest and say that I wasn't able to forgive him 100% and it was a little hard for me to get behind the 2nd chance fully. It was hard for me to forgive him because his reasoning was so unfounded. Basically, he loved her and wanted to marry her and knew she loved him and wanted to marry him and would wait for him, but he ended it because 1) she was too young and inexperienced at 19 and 2) he wasn't "ready" to get married/it didn’t fit with his rigid life plan. I thought that was stupid. 19 is a fine age to fall in love. Sure it's kinda young, but if you're in college and are that deeply in love it is TOTALLY appropriate to get married. And if a man is in love, is 27ish years old, has high prospects for a great job, and wants to get married, then that makes him ready to get married. Case closed. I just don't get his reasoning at all, so his explanations were hard to swallow. So he left her because he loved her. Wait, what? Not only that, he left her in a cruel way. That just doesn’t make sense. I was still able to enjoy the book, though, because his lame reasons were hard for her to swallow too. And she had to get over that, just like I did as the reader. And he regretted it (although I wanted him to express his regret and apologize for his stupid choice more instead of trying to explain himself so much. I needed more groveling I suppose). Well, what do you do? Swallow your pride, forgive, and take love when it's offered a second time, or hold on to your anger and hurt? Answer is obvious, and so that's what she did. And he showed his devotion clearly, so that was good.